Bay Weekly's 2014 Dining Guide

Your Source for Good Eating on Chesapeake Bay

Welcome to Bay Weekly’s annual Dining Guide, a tour of good eats and good eating. In this special, you’ll visit the many restaurants, delis, groceries and seafood markets whose advertising in our pages brings you Bay Weekly 52 weeks of each year. Most are locally owned, and all are in our neighborhoods.
Each is unique in its offerings — from fin- and shellfish fresh from the Bay to fine beef to satisfying preparations and presentation whether home style or exotic to regionally famous wines and beers to inventive cocktails.
I’ve eaten in every one — with the one exception of the brand new Chas & Fran’s Place, which is next on my list. So I promise you that each one is worth your time, faith and money.
Use this Guide now and all year long to revisit old favorites and dis­cover new ones. With restaurant weeks about to begin in both Annapolis and Calvert County, you’ll find special prices and menus to get 2014 off to a good dining start.

Annapolis Restaurant Week

What’s new? Two ways to win $50 gift cards to selected restaurants: Bay Weekly giveaways; directions to follow, or Like Annapolis Restaurant Week on Facebook.
Gift cards can be used during Restaurant Week or any time all year long. Participating Park & Shop restaurants give you an hour of free parking in city garages.

Basmati Indian Cuisine

What’s new? Happy Hour in the bar Sunday thru Thursday from 5 to 7pm with all 12-ounce bottled beer, including Indian favorites, $3.50, house wine $4 and discounted appetizers.

Tried and true?
Our lunch buffet of chicken, lamb, seafood, rice and vegetarian dishes plus breads, salads and desserts (daily 11:30am-2:30pm; weekends noon-3pm). Menus change daily. Like us on Facebook for an early look.
Dinner from the menu starts at 5pm.

Tasty and good for you too?
Delicious food for every diet and taste, including meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan. 2444 Solomons Island Rd; 410-266-6355; ­www.basmatiofannapolis.com

Bowen’s Grocery

What’s new? Now in season, fresh local oysters.

Tried and true?
A community institution and neighborhood grocery, Bowen’s has an old-fashioned butcher shop where you can find hand-cut meat including freshly ground chuck; homemade country sausage, links and loose; and stuffed pork chops with homemade stuffing. Bowen’s also features a full-service deli with hand-made hot lunches, sandwiches and salads; hand-dipped ice cream; plus local produce in season; Berger’s and Otterbein’s cookies; over 100 choices of bulk goodies, packaged and ready to go; dry goods and sundries.

Tasty and good for you too?
Everybody has a favorite. 4300 Hunting Creek Rd, Huntingtown: 410-257-2222; ­www.bowensgrocery.com

Cakes and Confections ­Bakery Cafe

What’s new? We’ve moved! After 12 years on St. Margaret’s Road in Annapolis, our new larger location in Severna Park allows us to expand to an eat-in café for breakfast and lunch.

Tried and true?
Our fresh-baked pastries, pies and desserts as well as custom-designed cakes for every occasion. We have best sellers in every category: Almond and chocolate croissants for breakfast pastries; chocolate macaroons and iced decorated shortbread for cookies; key lime and fruit medley (strawberries, rhubarb, apples, blackberries and raspberries) for pies; gluten-free Chocolate Decadence, Golden Vanilla with raspberry filling and Marble with chocolate mousse filling for cakes.
We also offer almost every type of cake flavor and fillings and can do almost any type of custom design for every occasion.

Caliente Grill

Tried and true?
At our family-owned and -operated Salvadorian and Mexican restaurant, we proudly serve delicious meals with the same fresh ingredients we use at home. Our food is served caliente, which in El Salvador means fresh. Caliente also means hot, and your order is always served hot. If you like your food spicy, we’ll prepare it caliente to suit your taste. Caliente also describes hot weather that makes us thirsty for a good drink.
Caliente Grill serves authentic Latino cuisine enjoyed by Latino families and prepared by hand, including corn tortillas and pupusas, Carne Asada and Pechuga a la Parrilla.

Carpaccio Tuscan Kitchen

What’s new? Happy Hour Sunday thru Friday from 4 to 7pm: $1 off all beer, liquor and wines by the glass with a new $5 mar­tini list and appetizer menu.
New catering menus for your next event.

Tried and true?
The incredible flavors of Tuscany perfectly paired with our wine selections from around the world. Our diverse menu runs from carpaccio to classic risotto and Italian pastas, steaks, seafood and more.

Tasty and good for you too?
On the way home or need something quick? Visit Carpaccio 2Go Pizza Shop featuring fantastic wraps, salads, sandwiches and slices of pizza. Full menu also served. 1 Park Place #10, Annapolis: 410-268-6569; www.carpacciotuscankitchen.com
Special prices during Annapolis Restaurant Week

Chas & Fran’s Place

What’s new? Find Chas & Fran, former owners of the Davidsonville Country Market, at Chas & Fran’s Place in Edgewater. We’re a sit-in or carryout restaurant serving lunch and breakfast all day, just the way your mom cooked. We deliver to Edgewater.

Tasty and good for you too?
A simple pancake meal is a classic and we have got it down. Our pancakes are light and fluffy with a hint of a special ingredient served alongside Jimmy Dean sausage or thick-cut crispy bacon. 118 Mayo Rd., Edgewater; 410-956-4264; www.chasandfrans.com

Chesapeake Seafood

What’s new? Our newest specialty is delicious cream of crab soup.

Tried and true?
We’re your seafood specialty store south of Annapolis. Raw or cooked-to-order for carryout, dinners or party ­platters, we’ve got the fin- and shellfish you’re hungry for, including live blue crabs all year round cooked to order.

Tasty and good for you too?
Raw oysters are so fresh they’re still alive. Fish broiled or steamed is good and good for you. Take home peel-and-eat shrimp, steamed clams, crab legs or scallops. 135 Mayo Rd.: 410-956-8956; Chesapeake Seafood on Facebook